Joe Robles (January 24, 1946 – July 4, 2024) was a United States Army general and banking executive American of Puerto Rican origin.[1] He was the president and CEO of USAA from 2007 to 2015.[2][3] He was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico.[4] After working at USAA, he worked for periods of time on the boards of Christus Santa Rosa Hospital and the P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County Foundation, as well as working on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.[5]
Joe Robles | |
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 | |
| Born | January 24, 1946 Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico |
| Died | July 4, 2024 (aged 78) San Antonio, Texas |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1966-1994 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands | 1st Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal (1) |
| Other work | Banking executive |
Education
editAttended Kent State University in Ohio to earn a degree in accounting, and later to Indiana State University for a Master of Business Administration. From there Joe graduated from the Army General Staff College, the Spanish General Staff College, and the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
Military career
editRobles was drafted to the United States Army in 1966, completed his basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. While there, his high test scores earned him a recommendation for Artillery Officer Candidate School in Fort Sill in Oklahoma. In 1967, as a newly commissioned second lieutenant, Robles was sent to Korea and then Vietnam. He worked at the Pentagon as a Colonel in the Army Budget Office. In 1986 at the age of 42 he was promoted Brigadier General and assigned as Assistant Division Commander with the 1st Cavalry Division. In 1993 he was promoted to Major General in command of the 1st Infantry Division, at Fort Riley Kansas.[6]
Military decorations and awards
edit
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Army Distinguished Service Medal |
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Legion of Merit (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
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Bronze Star Medal |
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Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster) |
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Air Medal |
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Army Commendation Medal (with 1 bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) |
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Army Good Conduct Medal |
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National Defense Service Medal |
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Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
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Vietnam Service Medal (with 4 bronze Service Stars) |
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Army Service Medal |
 
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Army Overseas Service Ribbon (with award numeral 2) |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation |
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Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm |
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Vietnam Civil Actions Medal |
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Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Badges:
Death
editHe died on July 4, 2024, at the age of 78. He was buried with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery[7]
References
edit- ^ "Josue J. Robles, Jr". www.nndb.com. July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "Former USAA CEO Joe Robles passes away at 78". News4SanAntonio. July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Kirkpatrick, Brian (July 5, 2024). "Joe Robles, former USAA CEO and two-star general, dies at 78". Texas Public Radio. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Fecher, Cyndi (October 1, 2014). "Joe Robles: From Major General to Major Community Involvement". Hispanic Executive. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Danner, Patrick (July 4, 2024). "Former USAA CEO Joe Robles, 'the people's general,' dies at 78 after long illness". San Antonio Express News.
- ^ https://horatioalger.org/members/detail/josue-robles-jr/
- ^ "Major General Josue (Joe) Robles, Jr". Porter Loring Mortuaries. Retrieved July 6, 2024.